Cargo hook



June 27, 1933. J FRASER 1,915,524

' CARGO HOOK Filed Jan'. 20, 1952 J Frasi lNve v-roq Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARGO Application filed January 20, 1982, Serial No.

This invention relates to hooks used in hoisting andlowering cargo and goods, out of and into ships holds, and elsewhere, and has for its object the provision of an improved form of hook of the type fitted with a guard or device designed to close the opening in the hook during the time cargo or goods is or are being hoisted or lowered.

The hook, provided by this invention comprises a main portion and a guard pivoted thereto adapted to close on the point of said main portion, the latter being formed with a ratchet formation with which a spring pressed pawl housed in the guard co-acts to retain the guard in selected positions.

In order that the invention may be better understood, it will be further described with the aid of the accompanying drawing,

wherein 2 Fig. 1 is a side elevation,

Fig. 2 an edge elevation, and Fig. 3 a part sectional elevation (enlarged) of the improved hook, while Figs. 4 and 5 are part side elevations (with part of the locking mechanism housing removed) showing the guard in its closed and opened positions respectively.

Referring to the drawing, the improved book comprises a'main portion 1, and a guard 2 adapted to close the opening through which slings or the like are passed on to and removed from the hook, said guard 2 and main portion 1 being pivoted together by a bush 3 and pin a 4 by means of which latter the hook is also attached to a shackle 5 or the like of the' lifting apparatus.

The free or outer end of the guard 2sis. recessed as at 6 or fornied to pass upon a pro- 7 jection or rib 7 on the point or part 8 of the main portion 1 of the hook on which it closes, and at its inner end said guard 2 contains a pawl 10 pivoted at!) to the guard and shaped and normally pressed by a spring 11 also housed in the guard 2 to engage a selected 5 recess 12 of a plurality thereof in the boss or rounded portion 1 of the main portion of the hook, so as'to retain the guard 2 in a desired position.

In order to enable the pawl 10 to be disw engagedfrom the recess 12 in which it may be HOOK 587,828, and in New Zealand April 29, 1981.

engaged, the said pawl is formed at each side with a bevelled hole or opening 1-0 therein, so that it may be gripped between the thumb and forefinger, or be engaged by a suitable member to facilitate its operation against the action of its spring 11.

The pawl 10 is completely housed in the guard 2, access being obtained thereto to operate same through openings 13 one in each side of the guard or pawl housing, said openings 13 being made large enough to permit of the pawl being given suflicient movement to be disengaged from the recess 12 in which it may be engaged.

With the guard 2 held open by the pawl 10 engaging in an appropriate recess 12 (Fig. 5), asling or the like can be passedupon the hook, following which the guard 2 is merely pushed downwards to engage the point 8 and completely close the hook, the recesses 12 being of ratchet formation to enable this to be done. The recess 12 in which the pawl 10 engages when the guard 2- is down, provides a positive lock, which can only be removed by purposely operating the pawl 10 through the openings 13 and against the'action of its spring 11 as before described, the sling or the like passed upon the book 1 in the meantime being completely enclosed by the hook 1 and its guard or safety de- 0 vlce 2.

The guard 2 is also fitted with aspring or spring pressed member 14 having a rounded outer end, and adapted when said guard is closed, to bear against the boss portion 1, where the radius of the latter increases, so as to give the guard 2 a slight tendency 'to move outwards, and so cause the pawl 10 to become positively locked in the lower ratchet recess 12, thereby ensuring positive locking of the guard in its closed position.

In order to open the guard 2 it is necessary to first counteract the effect of the spring or spring pressed member 14 by using the heel of the hand as a fulcrum against the outer edge of the guard 2, while inserting the thumb and middle fingerof the same hand through the openings 13 in opposite sides of the guard and using them to release the pawl 10 .from the lower recess 12. This operation is positive and depends upon the use of the heel of the hand combined with the use of the thumb and fin er as aforesaid, the grip of the pawl in t e lower ratchet recess 12 being eased by the compression of the springlor spring pressed member 14 followw ich the pawl 10 can be easily disenga ed from the lower recess 12 by the thumb and fingen, It only requires the release of the pawl-10' from the recess 12, and when this is done the guard 2 can be pushed full open 16 to bear against the boss or until the pawl 10 engages in the upper recess 12 in which latter position it is held by the spring '11. In order to relieve the Wei ht on the spring 11 whenthe guard 2'is in t e open position, a small spring pressed ball catch can be provided in the guard 2 at portion 1 and assist in retaining the guard open.

A screw 17 in the guard 2 at the back of the pawl 10 can be adjusted to prevent the latterfrom operating and so look said pawl against operation when the guard2 is closed,

- Letters Patent of the thus givin the hook the security--of a shackle should suc be required.

What I do claim and desire to obtain by United States of Amen ica is a 1. A device of the class described comprising a hook, said hook having a pair of recesses therein, each .recess having a. lower inclined wall and an upperabrupt wall, a guard pivotallyconnected with the hook, a

spring-pressed pawl-carried by the guard and slidable on the) inclined wall of the recesses and abuttin .the abrupt walls of the recesses. in the hoo to engage in one recess to hold the guard open, and in the other to hold theguard closed.

2. A device as claimed inclaim. l' wherein the guard carrles a spring-pressed member engageable with the hook and operating in .ad1ustable means are carried, by't signature.

JOSEPH FRASER.

he has afiixed his" 

